Westminster’s cuts to councils have seen Labour areas on average lose more than £500 per household. Meanwhile, Conservative areas have seen their per household spending fall by £115 – less than a third of the cuts faced by Labour councils. Despite this Tory austerity, the LGA Labour Group’s 100 More Innovations by Labour in Power shows that we are delivering for our communities. It follows hot on the heels of 100 Innovations by Labour in Power, and highlights how local Bristol Labour councillors and I have fought against austerity, pulling together the core cities and metro mayors, and rallying Bristol before lobbying Parliament for fair funding.
Last weekend, Jeremy Corbyn held up Bristol City Council as a prime example of how Labour councils are delivering for their residents. National attention for both the Children’s Charter and the Ethical Care Charter shows that we are standing up for everyone in Bristol, from cradle to grave. Our pioneering work is inspiring cities the world over.
Introduced by Councillor Helen Godwin, my Cabinet lead for Women, Children, and Families, the Bristol Children’s Charter is the first of its kind in the UK. Based on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, our ten-pledge strong charter has seen more than forty city partners and organisations sign up already. It has really demonstrated our commitment to be a family-friendly authority and represents a guiding principle for our council and for Bristol.
Working together with UNISON, Councillor Helen Holland, my Cabinet lead for Adult Social Care, is in the final stages of developing an Ethical Care Charter for Bristol. With the council accredited by the Living Wage Foundation as a Living Wage employer, Helen has also overseen improved pay and conditions for homecare workers, including paid travel time, and an important campaign to show how much we value the social care sector.
Our administration has won praise for our innovative work. We also take real inspiration from what other Labour and Labour-Coop councillors and councils are doing for their local communities. Labour are proud to be delivering for Bristol, and hope that the spotlight focusing on Bristol helps share best practice across the country.